Grain storage bins often include a false floor that is supported above a base of the storage bin. The elevated false floor creates a plenum between the false floor and the base of the storage bin. The false floor includes a series of perforations that permit heated or ambient air located within the plenum to pass through the false floor and into contact with grain supported by the false floor. Circulation of the air through the grain serves many functions, such as drying or otherwise conditioning the grain to prevent the grain from spoiling.
Conventionally, the false floor is comprised of a series of longitudinal panels cut to desired lengths and placed side-by-side to substantially cover the entire floor area of the grain storage bin. The floor panels commonly have male and female flanges of generally U-shaped cross sections along opposite edges of the panel so that the male flange of one panel section can be interlocked with the female flange of an adjacent floor panel section. One floor panel design has included a center support located between the male and female flanges to provide additional support to the floor panels. Each floor panel is made from a single piece of sheet metal. The two flanges and the center support are formed by properly bending and folding the sheet metal during manufacturing.
While conventional grain bin floor panels are suitable for their intended use, they are subject to improvement. For example, there is a need for an enhanced floor panel having a pair of strengthened flanges, a strengthened center support, a strengthened and more durable grain support surface, and/or an overall design that permits the stacking of multiple floor panels in a compact, space saving manner.